Evacuations Planned In Sarasota County Ahead Of Helene: Officials

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — With expectations that Tropical Storm Helene will strengthen into a major hurricane before making landfall in the U.S., likely somewhere in the Florida Panhandle or the Big Bend area, Thursday, evacuations are already planned in Sarasota County, officials said.

The county, which is under a hurricane watch Tuesday morning, has declared a local state of emergency. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued a state of emergency for 41 counties, including Sarasota.

Officials will send out an evacuation alert for Level A and manufactured home communities starting Wednesday at 7 a.m.

• Also Read: FL State Of Emergency Declared, Hurricane Watches In Place

Evacuation centers, which are all pet friendly, open at noon on Wednesday. The following are locations for evacuation centers:

• Atwater Elementary School, 4701 Huntsville Ave., North Port
• Booker High School, 3201 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota
• Brookside Middle School, 3636 South Shade Ave., Sarasota
• Fruitville Elementary School, 601 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota
• Gulf Gate Elementary School, 6500 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota
• Heron Creek Middle School, 6501 W. Price Blvd., North Port
• North Port High School, 6400 W. Price Blvd., North Port
• Phillippi Shores Elementary School, 4747 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
• Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota
• Southside Elementary School, 1901 Webber Street, Sarasota
• Taylor Ranch Elementary School, 2500 Taylor Ranch Trail, Venice
• Woodland Middle School, 2700 Panacea Blvd., North Port

Residents and business owners can check their evacuation level here.

Sarasota County Schools will close at the end of the school day on Tuesday to prepare schools to serve as emergency evacuation centers. Sandag operations continue Tuesday until 6 p.m. and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the following locations:

• Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road.
• Ed Smith Stadium (parking lot), 2700 12th St.
• South County Fleet Services, 4571 State Road 776/Englewood Road.

There is a 10-bags per-vehicle limit.

Sarasota County government offices are closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

All Breeze services (Breeze bus and trolley routes, Breeze OnDemand, and non-medical Breeze Plus trips) are operating on a normal schedule for Tuesday, Sept. 24.